Pages

Monday, March 18, 2013

Docetaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent of the taxane family.

Docetaxel

Generic Name: Docetaxel

Brand Name: Taxotere, Docefrez

Docetaxel is a drug that is used primarily for treating breast cancer. Docetaxel works by attacking cancer cells. Every cell in the body contains a supporting structure called the microtubular network. If this "skeleton" is changed or damaged, the cell can't grow or reproduce. Docetaxel makes the "skeleton" in cancer cells unnaturally stiff, so that these cells can no longer grow.

Docetaxel works by inhibiting cell division; it binds to tubulin and prevents the disassembly of microtubules in the cell, which stops the cell cycle and induces cell death (apoptosis).

Docetaxel (as generic or under the trade name Taxotere) is a clinically well-established anti-mitotic chemotherapy medication (that is, it interferes with cell division). It is used mainly for the treatment of breast, ovarian, prostate, and non-small cell lung cancer. Docetaxel has an FDA approved claim for treatment of patients who have locally advanced, or metastatic breast or non small-cell lung cancer who have undergone anthracycline-based chemotherapy and failed to stop cancer progression or relapsed nd a European approval for use in hormone-refractory prostate cancer.